Short-lived Escape line of fiberglass boats

[Small but Sweet]

Folks, please help me out here. Am I going crazy or was there a line of fiberglass boats by Escape? We first went to the Escape website in early 2020 when we bought the first camper, and saw the boats then. I guess that the run on campers during the pandemic, made them quickly ditch the boats to focus on the highly successful trailers.

Are there possibly a few Escape boats out there? Or was it just a concept? This is pure curiosity. I'd love to know if any exist and what an "Escape" boat is/was/would be like.

[Eggscape]

The date was Nov 27th 2019 when the picture of the center console boat was noticed on the Escape Web page. It was very pricey.

I found a picture of it in my files.

[Iowa Dave]

There was an overture from Escape that a prototype or production boat would be at the upcoming rally. I think the 2020 rally which didn’t happen. I’m always up for a boat ride. Doesn’t matter how big, how fast or slow, on a lake or river, morning fishing trip at dawn or cocktail cruise at sunset. Navigating snags on the river in the dark with a weak flashlight, not so much anymore. I’ve had boats for 60 years, always for fishing, hunting or trapping.
Iowa Dave

[Small but Sweet]

Wow, a photo, thank you. That does look like a nice boat. I suppose they probably never went beyond some prototypes.

[DGLP]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

There was an overture from Escape that a prototype or production boat would be at the upcoming rally. I think the 2020 rally which didn’t happen. I’m always up for a boat ride. Doesn’t matter how big, how fast or slow, on a lake or river, morning fishing trip at dawn or cocktail cruise at sunset. Navigating snags on the river in the dark with a weak flashlight, not so much anymore. I’ve had boats for 60 years, always for fishing, hunting or trapping.
Iowa Dave

There is an affiliation between a boat manufacturer, Campion, and Escape. Campion is also owned by KV Private Equity. It is based in Kelowna, BC.

https://www.powerboating.com/campion...e-equity-fund/

[DGLP]

And if you're visiting Kelowna, north of Osoyoos, here is an interesting bit of history. I recall seeing the broken glass:

https://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/19...lownas-windows

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by DGLP

There is an affiliation between a boat manufacturer, Campion, and Escape. Campion is also owned by KV Private Equity. It is based in Kelowna, BC.

https://www.powerboating.com/campion...e-equity-fund/

And as we often say "timing is everything". They had the good fortune to have, probably the oldest manufacturer of f.g. boats in BC, Hourston Glascraft, cease operations here in N. Van. giving them a real leg up for this segment of boats.

Escape owners probably aren't a huge market due to the inability of trailer owners to also pull a boat behind their Escape or carry it on roof racks.

Ron

[G.D.S.]

Ron...it is only BC that doesn't allow tandem towing...most of the rest of Canada and most of the States allow it!!

[G.D.S.]

Ron..I should clarify that...only behind fifth wheel trailers

[Sean2a]

Originally Posted by G.D.S.

Ron...it is only BC that doesn't allow tandem towing...most of the rest of Canada and most of the States allow it!!

I took it that he was referring more to the fact that the hitch receiver on the escape isn’t rated for towing at all, 150lb for cargo

[G.D.S.]

Oh yes I understand that the current Escape trailers aren't suited to that, but if Escape was interested in making it a 'thing" it would only be a couple hundred $ to upgrade their trailer frames to make it work. I guess it was more a chuckle at BC for being in the dark ages and one of the few places that doesn't allow it. All in good humour of course!! we love BC and go there whenever possible.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by G.D.S.

Oh yes I understand that the current Escape trailers aren't suited to that, but if Escape was interested in making it a 'thing" it would only be a couple hundred $ to upgrade their trailer frames to make it work. I guess it was more a chuckle at BC for being in the dark ages and one of the few places that doesn't allow it. All in good humour of course!! we love BC and go there whenever possible.

Why should Escape go to all the expense of developing a frame suitable for triple towing when it's one of the least mentioned "it'd be nice" options ever discussed?

I only count 27 states that allow for triple towing. But that really doesn't matter if you live in an area that doesn't allow it. Having to tow 2 trailers individually to another jurisdiction would get old fast.

I'd love to triple tow so that I could take my 950# Goldwing with me. It's too bid for a bumper rack or the back of the truck. I could modify the frame on my own but the different rules in different jurisdictions would still be the deal killer.

I remember the first time that a saw a triple tow in Alberta. I asked a cop about it. He said, "Sir you can have any kind of choo-choo train that you want as long as it's not over 65'."

Ron

[G.D.S.]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Why should Escape go to all the expense of developing a frame suitable for triple towing when it's one of the least mentioned "it'd be nice" options ever discussed?

I only count 27 states that allow for triple towing. But that really doesn't matter if you live in an area that doesn't allow it. Having to tow 2 trailers individually to another jurisdiction would get old fast.

I'd love to triple tow so that I could take my 950# Goldwing with me. It's too bid for a bumper rack or the back of the truck. I could modify the frame on my own but the different rules in different jurisdictions would still be the deal killer.

I remember the first time that a saw a triple tow in Alberta. I asked a cop about it. He said, "Sir you can have any kind of choo-choo train that you want as long as it's not over 65'."

Ron

I don't believe you saw a triple tow in Alberta other than commercial carriers. Tandem tes, but it must be a fifth wheel trailer as the lead trailer. (tandem towing with an andersen hitch is not allowed). Yes 65' in Alberta, 72' in Saskatchewan. But all that is irrelevant. The point was made that Escape making boats doesn't jive with them making trailers and I simply was pointing out that for a couple hundred dollars it could jive and therefore that is not the reason that they didn't carry forward with the boat manufacturing, it was other unknown reasons.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by G.D.S.

The point was made that Escape making boats doesn't jive with them making trailers

It's not JIVE in any event. It's JIBE.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by G.D.S.

I don't believe you saw a triple tow in Alberta other than commercial carriers. Tandem tes, but it must be a fifth wheel trailer as the lead trailer. (tandem towing with an andersen hitch is not allowed). Yes 65' in Alberta, 72' in Saskatchewan. But all that is irrelevant. The point was made that Escape making boats doesn't jive with them making trailers and I simply was pointing out that for a couple hundred dollars it could jive and therefore that is not the reason that they didn't carry forward with the boat manufacturing, it was other unknown reasons.

Pretty strong words since, yes, it was Alberta and it was a truck, travel trailer and a boat trailer and it was the police in Calgary who told me that. The rules may have changed since it was several years ago.

Where do you get your "couple of hundred dollars" from?

It was my understanding that ETI was never going to be in the boat manufacturing business. The boats proposed to be carried by ETI would be produced by an existing sister company. They'd just be another way of reaching a larger potential audience. I can only presume that fell flat with lack of interest.

Ron

[G.D.S.]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Pretty strong words since, yes, it was Alberta and it was a truck, travel trailer and a boat trailer and it was the police in Calgary who told me that. The rules may have changed since it was several years ago.

Where do you get your "couple of hundred dollars" from?

It was my understanding that ETI was never going to be in the boat manufacturing business. The boats proposed to be carried by ETI would be produced by an existing sister company. They'd just be another way of reaching a larger potential audience. I can only presume that fell flat with lack of interest.

Ron

Lets just leave it here!! This all started as a good hearted humorous poke from one province at another but obviously wasn't taken that way!! But just to clarify, a truck pulling 2 trailers is towing tandem. Have a good one!!

[Micheal K]

Originally Posted by G.D.S.

But just to clarify, a truck pulling 2 trailers is towing tandem. Have a good one!!

Unfortunately the term “triple towing” is also used to describe the same setup.